Rain fell lazily in the humid, Hawaiin heat. It pattered against the rooftop and trickled down the windows of my cottage, accompanying the sounds of the roaring Pacific that crashed against boulders not far from an outstretched balcony. It was late evening when our charter plane had reached the tiny landing strip five miles south of the Hotel Hana-Maui and the short drive had proven unrevealing - void of street lights, my first glimpse of Hana was lit by two large, burning torches that marked the hotel's entrance.

And so my first night at the resort was spent dreaming of what the morning sun would unveil. I fell asleep to the consistant sounds of water: falling, crashing and churning. Near six o'clock the next morning, I awoke to the persistent crows of a wandering rooster. A rooster? In Maui?

Among many other occurrences that altered my preconceived notions, this trip to the small town of Hana, on Maui's eastern coast, forever changed my mindscape of the often tourist-laden Hawaiian Islands. Miles away from any other resort, hotel or establishment for that matter, Hotel Hana-Maui gives the word seclusion new meaning. Quiet, serene and simple, the resort exudes an elegance unmatched by trendy locales, posh furnishings and fast-paced lifestyles.

Simple here means simple. No televisions, no internet access, no air conditioning, no alarm clocks. Yes, you heard right, no alarm clocks. That's what the rooster's for, remember?

And surprisingly, living without these 21st century necessities is not as difficult as you may imagine. Who needs a radio when crashing waves provide background music? Who needs a T.V. when you have a tropical rainforest to explore?

66 ranches, most of which are cottage structures with 2 separate rooms, are available at Hotel Hana-Maui. They are laid out across a vast span of soft green grass, each one positioned to provide the most breathtaking view possible of the ocean.

Spacious and comfortable, the ranches feature cool, hardwood floors, pillow-topped mattresses and cathedral ceilings from which tireless ceiling fans dangle. Beds are made up in thin and multiple layers (some of which are peeled off at turndown and stored away to make for a more cool, comfortable sleep,) luxe pillows and padded headboards perfect for bedtime reading. (CONTINUE...)